


One more time with feeling

by LadyNina



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Bruce Wayne is a Good Dad, Dad Bruce Wayne, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Sex, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Porn with Feelings, Sex, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-04 13:16:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14021055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyNina/pseuds/LadyNina
Summary: After being defeated by an enemy group they pursued, the Bat Kid's started to de-age. They ended up going to Bruce for help.There they discover the changes that have taken place with Bruce over the years and get to know the members of the Justice League





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Repeat Your Favorite Mistakes And Love Them All Again](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12568920) by [watchingthestars13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/watchingthestars13/pseuds/watchingthestars13). 
  * Inspired by [Justice League, Meet My Children](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12946065) by [Sapphire09](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire09/pseuds/Sapphire09). 



> My first ever fanfic.
> 
> I apologize for any mistake, since English is not my native language.
> 
> Important points:
> 
> a) the characters will be OCC. Mainly because i) I got to know a lot of them only through fanfic and ii) my writing is not one of the best and I really have difficulty with characterization.
> 
> b) this fic will not show much action. It just came from my great desire to see more fics with Bat kids, Dad! Bruce and Trinity.
> 
> c) They were inspired by two other works that I read here:
> 
> i) Justice League, meet my kids by Sapphire09
> 
> ii) Repeat your favorites mistakes and Love then All Again by watchingthestars13
> 
> d) I'm not following any timeline of events.

**Chapter One**

Bruce tried to conceal his smirk as he and the rest of the League listened to Barry tell them about something that happened that day on the police station. Two years after Steppenwolf was defeated, the League had found a rhythm.  
  
During the days of the week, each one followed with his life and his responsibilities. At weekends, they would gather to train, compare cases and try to find individuals similar to them to expand the League. Bruce could not deny that, for all his initial fears, it was good to be part of a team and have constant company and reinforcement when necessary.

“So, will we be talking to Green Arrow this weekend?” asked Barry while they walked to the cave, the place where they usually went to talk business.

"Yes, I made an appointment with him for tomorrow night" Bruce answered as he was typing the code to open the secret door to access the cave.

"Wait, did you make a date with him like Bruce Wayne?" Clark asked with a frown on his face  "So when you said that you knew who Green Arrow was, you mean you two know each other?"  
  
"Yes, even if I’m certain that he has-” and Bruce stopped talking as Clark put a hand on his chest to prevent him from descending the rest of the stairs.

"We're not alone," Clark whispered as he began to float lightly up the stairs and adjusted his posture to look more like Superman than Clark Kent.  
  
"How many?" Diana asked with her hand already going to the bag where it held the lasso.  
  
"I can count seven heartbeats," Clark replied as he closed his eyes and concentrated.  
  
"What will we do?" Victor asked, already in a fighting stance.  
  
"I don’t know if you guys already notice this, but we're all in our civil identities," Barry began to speak quickly.  
  
"If they're waiting for us here, they already know who we are, Barry," Bruce commented, starting down the stairs again, even more carefully. Being quickly accompanied by Diana and Clark, with Victor and Barry last.  
  
As they reached the last few steps, four metal blurs appeared whistling through the air and stopping at the feet of the League members, with the exception of Bruce.  
  
Bruce needed little more than a quick glance to recognize a version similar to his batarangs.  
  
"Dick?" Bruce intonated in a volume just above a whisper and the shadows began to move until seven people with different superheroes outfits appeared.  
  
"Long time no see, old man" One of them, with a red masked, snarked.  
  
"Jason" Bruce complied with clenched jaw.

“Father, we need your help” one of the lowest commented. Bruce looked at them with narrowed eyes for any sign of injury and when he did not find any, heaved a little sight.

"Can we sit down?" He commented pointing to a long table in which the League usually gathered. Not everyone would be able to sit down, but it was better than the current situation where both groups looked at each other as if they were going to fight.  
  
Not expecting an answer, Bruce headed for the table sitting on one end, the rest of the League followed his example; Diana sat on his left side, with Victor on her side and Clark sat on his right side with Barry on his side.  
  
After a few seconds of hesitation, the others began to sit down too. Standing only the boy Bruce had referred to as Jason and one of the girls, in Batman-like clothing and long blond hair.  
  
"What happened?" growled Bruce, automatically taking on the mantle of Batman, not Bruce or Brucie Wayne.  
  
"Just over a month ago, I started investigating a case about three women who seemed to fund a number of criminal organizations in Bludhaven." Dick, who sat opposite Batman, began to tell "Initially, it did not look like there was anything strange there, but then Barbs and me came to discover that these three women were metahumans"  
  
"Honestly, we do not even know if metahuman is the right term," the girl in Batman-like red-haired clothing commented, "from what we've found, they have some sort of magic or very advanced science that they can use in a group of their clients and that make them younger .Literally, their body returns to be equal to years ago"  
  
"We tried to capture them a few times as much as Richard Grayson and Barbara Gordon, as Nightwing and Batgirl, without much success," continued Dick. "So I got in touch with the rest to explain the situation and ask for their help. We spent a week setting a trap"  
  
"The truth is ..." Tim began to speak for the first time "that we don’t remember much of what happened after we confronted them. The original idea was to attack them in their apartment ... but as soon as they arrived, we attacked ... "  
  
"We woke hours later, with an echo of the voice of those freaks in our head" sneered Stephanie  
  
"An echo?" Bruce interrupted for the first time since they started telling the story.  
  
"Warning that since we seemed so interested in their powers, we were going to fall back fifteen years," Tim reported with his distant gaze as if he was remembering at the moment, blinking then and looking at Batman as he pulled out his cowl. "At first, we we did not take it very seriously, but ... some effects started to appear "  
  
Clark glanced over at Bruce to see his hands contract and relax and heard a quick intake of air. He turned to Diana to see that she was watching Bruce worried.  
  
Until then, she and Clark were letting Bruce and his wards handle the situation, but both could not deny their concern or fail to realize that Victor and Barry were almost vibrating with curiosity about the situation and the new people at the table.  
  
"Um ... Except for Bruce, I do not think anyone here really knew you personally. I mean, I remember when you were adopted because that made news almost all over the country, millionaire Bruce Wayne adopts one more and all, but I I can not tell you exactly how much younger you look, "Barry said quickly looking from Bruce to the boy he now knew to be Tim Drake.  
  
"By our calculations, we're three years younger," commented Richard Grayson.  
  
"And this happens out of nowhere?" Clark asked after a brief silence and when Bruce looked like he was not going to do anything more than observe them.  
  
"So far, I've obeyed the 24 hour rule, the last time was six hours ago. No matter what we're doing, we fall asleep being unable to resist and wake up younger"  
  
"And you know how to find them again?"  
  
"No, when we woke up the first time, it was the first thing we tried to do, but we did not succeed, they do not seem to be going to any of their usual places"  
  
"Do you think they would be able to reverse this?" asked Victor gravely.  
  
"We don’t hav-”

"As far as I know," Jason interrupted irritably. "We're here to call for help from Batman, Dick, after you've insisted a lot, not the his new little group of friends"  
  
"Jason, please," Dick said wearily.  
  
"He's right," Damian arrogantly backed up before turning to Bruce. "Father, will you help us?"  
  
"Of course, Damian," Bruce replied, staring at his youngest son.  
  
"Drake has all the information we have saved and available," Damian continued, and Tim slid a pen drive down the table that Bruce picked up and, after turning his pen drive with an intense look of concentration, handed it to Victor.  
  
"WHAT THE HE-"  
  
"Enough!" Bruce snapped, interrupting the scream of Stephanie, Jason and Damian. "I will do everything to help, and I trust the League. You have asked for my help, then things will happen on my terms"  
  
"I knew it was not a good idea to ask for help from a control freak like you-"  
  
"Jason, please" Dick asked low "Bruce, thank you. After everything that happened, we were not sure if-"  
  
"I'll always help you" growled Bruce. "Introduce yourself and we can rest until the time that Alfred will serve dinner. Then we’ll decide the details on how we will proceed.”  
  
"Details? What details?" Asked Stephanie  
  
"At dinner time," Bruce said, and hears a brief moment of silence before Barbara smiles.  
  
"My name is Barbara Gordon, and my alias is Batgirl"  
  
"Call me Dick, or, you know, Nightwing"  
  
"My name is Tim Drake, nice to meet you.Today I'm known as Red Robin"  
  
"tt, Damian Wayne"  
  
"Call me Steph," one of the girls commented as Tim prodded her "And this is Cassandra"  
  
"Jason Todd"  
  
"It's nice to meet you. I'm-" Barry started smiling.  
  
"We know who you are," Damian said aggressively. "After you started walking with Father both in your civil identities and in secret identities, it became obvious. Only an idiot not to find out"  
  
With that said, he rose and headed toward the mansion. One by one the others followed them, even though Dick had looked apologetic to the others and especially Bruce and Cassandra had stopped by Bruce to give him a quick kiss on the forehead before following them.  
  
As soon as everyone had left and only the League remained on the table, Barry glanced quickly at Bruce.  
  
"They do not seem to like us very much"  
  
"You're not the problem," Bruce admitted in a low tone of voice. "We have not talked to each other for three years. They have come for help because they are desperate and none of them deals well with being powerless in a situation. "  
  
"How do you want to deal with it?" asked Clark, because no matter what his personal opinions were, this situation was first familiar and not a League affair.  
  
"If you are willing to help, I would like Cyborg to analyze the information they have brought in by tomorrow, so we can come up with a strategy for how to identify and find these women." Bruce explained ignoring the quick nods and demonstrations of support they gave “Today we need to think where they want to stay and what they want to do while we try to solve this; and how they want to proceed if  this is not reversible "  
  
"They're your children, are not they? I mean, most of them? Would not they be staying ..." Barry slowed down in front of the glare that Bruce addressed him "here?"  
  
"As I said, we didn't end on a good note" Bruce said dryly as he got up "It's better that we rest a little until dinner."  
  
Barry and Victor looked at each other as Bruce left the cave, followed quickly by Diana and Clark.

  



	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!
> 
> First of all, Kuromy_Rokuichiku reminded me that I didn't tell the ages of Dick & Cia, so:
> 
> Dick - 24  
> Jason - 23  
> Tim - 19  
> Damian - 16  
> Cassandra - 17  
> Stephanie - 18  
> Barbara - 25
> 
> They have already lost 3 years, so: 
> 
> Dick - 21  
> Jason - 20  
> Tim - 16  
> Damian - 13  
> Cassandra - 14  
> Stephanie - 15  
> Barbara - 22
> 
> Second of all, I have an idea on how I want things to go, but I didn't write it yet. So if you guys have any suggestions, I'm open to them!
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> See ya!

**Chapter Two**

Clark and Diana were waiting for Bruce in his rooms. They tried to talk to him when he left the cave, but the man evaded them citing that he needed to speak with Alfred about everything that happened and that they would be having more people at dinner.

“Well… this could have gone worse” commented Diana sitting in the bed. “Maybe this is what they need to start speaking again…”

Clark said nothing as he looked to the manor grounds through the windows. When he, Diana and Bruce started theirs relationship, Bruce had sat them both down and told them all about his kids. He remembered the quiet and soft tones Bruce used when telling about meeting and adopting Dick; the pain in his face when recalling Jason’s death; his small smile when describing each theirs strengths and his utter weariness as he explained theirs last fight and how they haven’t been on speaking terms for the last few years.

“I wouldn’t bet on it or anything like that, princess” said smooth voice from the door and both of them turned to see Bruce entering the room with a pained face. In a blink of eye, Clark was embracing him as Diana leaned on his back.

“They came to you for help, B. This got to mean something”

“Clark” Bruce breath closing his eyes and relaxing his body, trusting that he and Diana would hold him up “it means that I’m the only one that they know, who is not a villain, that is already in the know about their vigilant activities. If there’s one thing that all of them are, is practical. If they went to anyone else they would have a hard time to explain how they got in this situation”

“Perhaps. But you can use this situation to reconnecting with them” Diana suggested softly as she guided both of them to the bed. Clark swept Bruce of his feet and put him gently in the middle of bed. Nor him, nor Diana wasted a minute before cuddling with the older man. Bruce hummed softly before looking at both of them.

“One of the reasons that I suggested that we waited until dinner time to make any plans was because I wanted to talk to both of you first…” Clark felt Bruce tensing slightly in their embrace even if his heartbeat didn’t change from his slow beat. “We agreed to wait a few more months before telling anything to the press, because of Wayne Industries and Clark’s work at the Daily Planet. But what do you want to tell them? Because they will notice that you two are staying here with me”

“B…”  
  
“I don’t see why we shouldn’t tell them truth” Diana spoke bluntly “There are your family, Bruce, and as such, I consider them family too”   
  
Bruce gave her a nod and his eyes shone with gratitude before turning to Clark.   
  
“I agree with Diana” Clark started slowly and felt Bruce relax again “But what do you want to do?”   
  
“They’re family” Bruce shrugged “I would prefer to be honest with them. There are already too many things left unsaid between us, I don’t want this to become one more secret”

“Then we tell them” Diana decreed

“Just… don’t go expecting a warm welcome to the family” Bruce mumbled softly with closed eyes

“Don’t worry, B” Clark said before giving him a quick kiss and holding him a little tighter “Don’t matter what, we’ll be here with you”

 

_Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat_

  
"If I had not seen with my own eyes the burnt remains of the mansion, I would not believe this is not my original room," Dick murmured under his breath, scanning the room "The decor, the bed ..."   
  
He laughed incredulously as he opened the closet door.   
  
"Even the clothes ..."   
  
"Do you think we should have been back sooner?" Barbara asked, watching him from the door.   
  
"I don’t know," sighed the boy. "I waited a long time for Bruce to contact us and try to see us ... And the more time passed, the stranger I felt it would be to come back here ..."   
  
"And how do you feel?"   
  
"I don’t know ... A part of me is happy to see Bruce again, to be here again ... But another part is confusing. Have you noticed how much the people of the League were comfortable near him? How much he was comfortable with the others? Since when did he decide that he prefers to work on a team? "   
  
Dick threw himself on the bed and stared at the ceiling trying to process what had happened in the last minutes   
  
"And if that was the case ... why they and not us?"   
  
Barbara walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Dick's hair.

 

_Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat_

 

"Anything useful?" asked Barry, turning bored in his chair as Victor analyzed the information on the pendrive on the computer.  
  
"So far nothing, some of their fake identities, but if they know they have any behind them, they should already be using somebody else." Victor sighed as he reviewed the information. "The best I can do for now is to create an alert on the images system, if they appear somewhere that we have access to the cameras, I'll be alerted immediately "   
  
"It's not much," commented Barry, discouraged.   
  
"No," Victor added, "but until we have more information ..."   
  
"I wish I could do more to help ... after all Bruce did ..." murmured the runner.   
  
Victor looked at Barry, but he didn’t say anything. Everyone knew that Bruce was helping the other boy to prove his father's innocence. And in a case as complex as that, all help was welcome. Particularly when the person had to provision the same financial resources and influence as Bruce Freaking Wayne.   
  
"It's weird to see someone so comfortable in the cave" the two turned quickly to see Tim Drake walking toward them, accompanied by Stephanie.   
  
"Given the time we spent here, I think it's natural. I think I've been through this whole cave running over a thousand times."   
  
"Do you guys spend a lot of time here?" Stephanie asked suspiciously.   
  
"In the cave or the mansion?" asked Barry with a slight laugh. "Victor and I spent almost every weekend at the mansion. In the cave, just for some meeting about new members for the League or for training"   
  
"Do you train here?" Tim asked in a strange voice. Victor looked at him carefully, trying to understand what was going on with the boy.   
  
"Unbelievable. Fucking unbelievable," grunted the girl, turning and marching toward the exit. Tim looked at them strangely again before he followed.   
  
"Did I say something I shouldn’t?" Barry questioned when the two were gone.   
  
"I don’t know." Victor closed his eyes, imagining that dinner would be interesting at best.

 

_Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat - Bat_

 

When they reached the dining room, Bruce, Diana, and Clark found everyone else already seated. Bruce nodded to Alfred, who began serving the dinner.   
  
"You said you wanted to wait for dinner to get the details right. What details?" Tim asked as they all started to eat.

Bruce frowned in confusion at Tim's aggressive tone, but decided to respond rather than confront him for an hour.  
  
"First, while we are looking for these wizards and trying to reverse the situation, you needed somewhere to stay in. I-"   
  
"Can not we stay here at the mansion?" and it was impossible not to notice his hurt tone.   
  
Bruce felt Diana put his hand on his thigh and Clark settled into the chair to get closer, in an attempt to comfort.   
  
"Of course you can, Tim. As I was saying, I was going to suggest that you all stay here, but I will not force them."   
  
Dick looked at all his brothers and sisters briefly before turning to Bruce.   
  
"We were already thinking about it, if it’s not bother ..."   
  
"Of course it isn’t a bother! This is our home," Damian replied angrily.   
  
"Damian's right," Bruce said quickly before anyone else could say anything. "The second point is that I need to know what you have said to justify your prolonged absence ..."   
  
"Dick and I took a vacation from work, we said we would go on a trip and the signal would be bad, so I do not think anyone will come looking for us before a month ends," Barbara explained.   
  
"And I went to Damian's school and told him he was going to be absent because of family problems. I told him that his mother was sick and that he needed to travel to see her," Dick continued.   
  
"Why not say that Bruce was sick? So if anyone saw him here, there wouldn’t be a problem." Barry grimaced quickly when he realized he had interrupted. Victor and he had decided before that it would be better to let Bruce deal with his family before they made things worse.   
  
"We thought about it, but it would have been strange if nothing had been reported in the media. And for Damian not to go to class, since it's less than a 30-minute drive here, it would have to be something very serious," Barbara replied with a small smile. Barry smiled relieved.   
  
"There's no one who's going to miss me enough to try to come and look for me," Jason commented.   
  
"Me and Cassandra locked up the semester citing family emergency as well," Tim added.

"I quit my job," Stephanie said. "I couldn’t take a vacation right now and I didn’t have a good enough excuse for that idiot to give me time off"  
  
"When that's settled, I'll help you get a new job-"   
  
"I don’t know need or want your help" snapped the girl and Bruce took a deep breath to try to control his temper.   
  
"Third point, we will do our best to try to reverse what happened, but we need a plan in case it is not reversible"   
  
A silence lingered for a few minutes on the table until Damian broke it.   
  
"A plan? What kind of plan?" and at moments like this, Bruce remembered how ridiculously young Damian still was.   
  
"No matter how old you are mentally, you will have the physique of children. You will need to grow up again." Bruce held up a hand to prevent the many objections that were beginning to emerge. "If this were to happen, I would meet with Lucius Fox to resolve the legal issues"   
  
"And we would grow up here?" Jason asked with a mixed tone of disbelief and anger.   
  
"If you're not against it, yes," Bruce answered honestly and forced himself to continue breathing normally and wait a few seconds to see if anyone would manifest. When no one said anything, he turned to Barbara.   
  
"You have to decide whatever Gordon knows. I do not need to know now, but that's something you need to think about."   
  
Barbara nodded silently, sounding deep in thought.   
  
"And what are you going to do to try and reverse this situation?" asked Stephanie   
  
"Cyborg?" Bruce asked.   
  
"I've analyzed the information they gave us. I've already arranged them in folders for you and the others to look at," Victor reported with a nod to Diana and Clark. "The most I could do with the information there was to put an alert on the image system, and if they appear anywhere that we have access to the cameras, I'll be alerted immediately"   
  
"Do we have a list of places they usually go to?" Clark asked and Cyborg waved "Flash, can you get these locations on your patrols? Check quickly if they showed up there or if someone knows something? We can split the locations"   
  
"No problem!" Barry responded cheerfully, happy to be helpful.   
  
"Patrols?" asked Damian ceptically.   
  
"Oh, didn’t you hear about it, Damian-boy?" said ironically Stephanie "Apparently, Batman found two new robins"

"He what?" Damian shouted, raising "Father, this is a absurd!"  
  
"For real, old man?" Jason asked with disgust in his voice.   
  
"Bruce?" Cas's hurt voice echoed.   
  
"We're not Robins!" Barry replied shocked.   
  
"No? You admitted Bruce was training you!" Accused Tim   
  
"ENOUGH!" Bruce snapped loudly.   
  
"But Fath-"   
  
"Damian, I said enough." Bruce cut him off. "Tim, where did you and Stephanie get that idea from?"   
  
"They said it when we talked to them in the cave!"   
  
"Victor?" Bruce asked glancing at him, but keeping his attention on the others.   
  
"Me and Barry said we spent a lot of time in cave training," he explained shortly. "We did not mention anything about being Robins"   
  
"B, may I?" Bruce waved, relieved that someone seemed to know what to do in this situation.   
  
"Bruce, Diana and I are training Barry and Cyborg for them to learn how to use their powers as well as to fight.There is no intention of them being Robins. With exception of Batman, none of us ran patrols in Gotham"   
  
"Oh," Tim exclaimed blushing slightly and looking embarrassed.   
  
"That being said, Barry and I are going to check out the places they used to go in case they come back." Clark resumed the matter as if a mere second fight had not started.

"I can try to get in touch with Arthur to see if he's ever heard of any magic like that," Diana offered.  
  
"Do you-"   
  
"No, I've heard of spells that supposedly slow the level of aging, but not that they reverse the process," Diana replied before Bruce finished asking the question and nodded.   
  
"For the time being, we will do that. If we do not have anything new in three days, we rethink the strategy," Bruce decided.   
  
"Can I be excused, Father?" Damian asked when it seemed that nothing more would be discussed.   
  
"Not yet" Bruce denied "There's one more thing I'd like to talk to you about. It's personal"   
  
Bruce felt Clark and Diana hold their hands under his hand and gave a quick squeeze as he watched the curiosity arise.   
  
"Personal matter?" Cassandra asked softly, tilting her head slightly.   
  
"Oh my God! They don’t know?!" Barry exclaimed loudly, not hiding his smile.   
  
"Barry" Bruce growled and glared, trying to contain his anxiety.   
  
"Clark, your Father and I are in a relationship" Diana spoke directly with a smile "We have been careful for the media not to find out. As we are all gathered here, Bruce wanted to tell you"   
  
There was a second of blissful silence before laughter, congratulations, and Damian's cry echoed.   
  
"FATHER, THIS IS AN ABSURD" ****  


 


	3. Chapter Three

“FATHER, THIS IS AN ABSURD” Damian screamed getting to his feet. “One of them isn’t even human!”

“Damian!” Bruce growled glaring at his youngest son “This is more than enough! I’m not asking for permission nor saying you have to like it. I’m in a relationship with them and as my son, I wanted you to know about it”

Damian threw a betrayed look at his father before sneering at Clark and Diana and stomped down the hall.

“Holy shit” Jason said with laughter in his voice “Holy Fucking Shit! You’re on a threesome with Superman and Wonder Woman?”  
  
“A Threesome would imply that it’s only sexual. A polyamory relationship would be the correct term” Diana explained with a smile as Bruce was still looking in the direction Damian had took of to.   
  
“Holy shit. Have to say that I didn’t see that one coming! But I totally approve!” Stephanie exclaimed excitedly from her seat.   
  
“Of course you would approve” Jason scoffed at the girl.

“As if you don’t! I mean, they’re hot! Like really hot!” she retorted.

“Oh my god, Stephanie! It’s Bruce you’re talking about!” Tim spoke scandalized and embarrassed “I really don’t need to listen to this!”

“Oh come on, Tim! As if you haven’t read worse about him on the news!” Stephanie rolled her eyes at him

“He’s blushing” Cassandra soft voice echoed and everyone looked at her and followed her eyes to Clark, who was blushing.

“Holy-! He totally is!” Exclaimed Barry before laughing.  
  
“Are you embarrassed by this?” Diana asked confused. "This is not the first time anyone comments on our appearance. You should know how good looking we are”   
  
“It’s not it!” Clark mumbled and looked at Bruce for help, but the older man was looking at him curiously. He resigned himself at having to explain it “It’s just… they’re Bruce’s kid. It’s strange, ok?”

And as soon as he said this he could hear the others laughing and giggling. Honestly, usually, this would only get him more embarrassed, but after Bruce’s youngest explosion, the laughing was helping everyone to relax. So what if this was at his expense? He sneak a quick glance at Bruce to see him looking back with a small smirk.

“It’s kind of adorable” Barbara commented still giggling lightly.

“It really is, isn’t it?” Diana beamed at the other woman.

“I know that you don’t need your permission or anything like that” Stephanie mocked lightly before turning slightly more serious “but for what is worth, if you are happy, I approve”

Bruce stared back with a blank face while he tried to process his surprise. He didn’t really think any of his kid was going to have anything against his relationship, not after Selina and Talia, but he didn’t think that any of them would give their express blessing either. He gave a curt nod back to the girl who know was sitting relaxed at her chair, smiling at him.

“Thank you” said Clark at his side, and Bruce couldn’t contain his smirk at real gratitude in his voice. Truth to be told, it warmed his heart that the opinion of his children would mean so much to any of them.

“As much Bruce said that we don’t need permission, your blessing means a lot to us” Diana explained looking to all of them and Bruce almost laugh at his kids awed stare at Diana.

“You have mine too. If Bruce is happy, is enough for me” Barbara mentioned in sequence.

“Try not to screw this up, old man” Jason sneered before getting up and out of them room. Bruce had to admit that this probably was going to be the closer they were ever going to get to his blessing.

“Are you happy?” Dick whispered seriously from where he was sitting, and Bruce turned to him in surprise like the rest “Truly happy?”

“I am” Bruce said to his eldest and felt Diana and Clark squeeze his hands, but didn’t take his eyes of his son.

“Then you have my blessing” Dick said with a big smile that was so reminiscent from the one he used to give Bruce when he was only a kid that Bruce could feel his a lump on his throat.

“Mine too” Tim said with a softly with a small smile. Cassandra got up attracting all the attention and went up to Bruce and gave him side hug. He quickly let go from Diana and Clark to embrace her.

“Does this mean I have yours too?”  Cassandra nodded seriously before letting go and going to give a quick hug to Diana who hug back enthusiastically and Clark that looked surprised before return the hug.

“But I have a question” Dick asked with a smirk on his lips that grew by the second and a mischievous look “does this means makes them ours stepfather and stepmother?”

“DICK!” Barbara exclaimed shocked before giving into laughter.

“Oh my gosh, this was amazing” Flash couldn’t stop laughing and Victor was trying hard to held it.

“This amazing! Oh my! I can’t believe you really asked that” Stephanie tried to say between  
guffaws as Tim groaned and tried to hid his face. Cassandra who was back to hugging Bruce hid her smile in his neck where she was laughing softly.

“Hum… I mean… I don’t” Clark stammered before looking at Bruce who was rolling his eyes at Dick and Diana who was beaming back.

“You should be ashamed of yourself” Bruce played back softly, remembering the time that he and Dick would spend the nights bickering playful with one another “trying to get Superman and Wonder Woman embarrassed”

“C’mon, Bruce! You have to admit that it was too good to pass” Dick said with a big smile and eyes shining.

“It was! It really was! I already like you!” Flash exclaimed excited and impulsive and was surprise when he was rewarded with a smile and wink.

“She doesn’t seem embarrassed” Cas pointed out examining Diana’s face.

“Well, it was a joke borne of acceptance and affection for Bruce, why would any of us be embarrassed?” Diana asked back and for a moment everyone looked at her before Dick started to squirm and blush lightly.

“Is she always this blunt?”

“Always” Clark, Bruce, Barry and Victor answered at the same time provoking even more laugh.  

“If this is all” Bruce said regretfully as he looked at the hour “I have to get ready to patrol”

“Do you want any help?” Tim asked uneasy

“I don’t think it’s smart for any of you to be out before we solve this” Bruce said curtly back knowing that this would probably end happy atmosphere from before.

“It’s risk” Diana agreed “We don’t really know how this magic affect you”

“And if you guys starting getting young in the middle of patrol could put you at risk” Clark explained trying to help Bruce and prevent any new fights. He saw sad acceptance in Tim’s face and resignation at everyone’s else.

“Well…” Dick said trying to dissipate the awkward “I could try to talk to Damin? See if he has calmed down some?”

“I would appreciate it” Bruce grumbled as he got up and started for the door. A few seconds later Superman and Flash followed him.

“You’re not going?” Barbara asked Diana and Victor.

“My powers are still largely uncontrolled. I could ended up hurting the person that I’m trying to help, so I’m staying here” Victor shrugged.

“I’m not like Bruce or Clark. I don’t really have a city that I protect as mine” Diana said somewhat sadly.

“It must be strange for both you, to stay behind when they go out every night” Barbara said looking at the woman carefully, every inch of her screamed warrior.

“Not really. When I got like this, I used to stay at home. I never wanted to be a superhero or a vigilant until starting to with this guys” Victor explained before getting up “I will go look at the systems and see if he have anything too serious happening, ok?”

“Sure!” Diana exclaimed as he started for the cave, and then she looked to see herself alone with Bruce’s children and theirs curious looks. “Anything you want to ask?”

“You don’t mind?”

“Of course not, Tim! If you’re going to be family, it’s expected that we’ll get to know each other”

“It’s true that you’re Amazon?”

“Are amazons real?”

“Could you kick Bruce’s ass in a fight? And Superman’s?

Diana laugh to herself before starting to answer.

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 Bruce took a moment to look at Gotham from the top of Wayne Tower before ending his patrol. He had already took care of a few small crimes and neither Alfred nor Cyborg had picked up nothing big that needed his attention. He took a deep breath and tried to relax. After a few more minutes, he spoke.

“Nothing new, Alfred?”

“No, sir”

“I’ll be heading home, then” He growled as he prepared to go back. “Anyone is back yet?”

“Mister Kent came back half a hour ago. Mister Allen is still is Central City”

“Does he need help?”

“No, sir. He says he is already wrapping up”

“Ok”

He was almost at the cave when he notice a flash of colour pass by him.

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“Oh my god! What happened here?” Barry exclaimed shocked when he saw Diana fighting against Cassandra, Stephanie, Barbara. Diana was sporting a big smile.

“The girls wanted to see how a Amazon fights. And you know how Diana is” Victor explained at his side.

“Batman is going to murder someone” Barry insisted faintly as he saw Cassandra and Barbara starting to attack Diana again.

“This isn’t even in the list of worst things he has come back from patrol to find one of us doing” Dick said amused from where he was sitting in the floor with Tim at his side. Barry looked around to see Clark a few paces to his right and Jason at the back.

“It really isn’t” growled a voice from behind and Barry jumped to see Batman approach and starting to removing his body armor.

“Everything was ok?” Dick asked as he turned to look up. He only response was a grumble as Bruce focused on his armor.

“Cassandra, there’s a opening at her right side” Bruce called and everyone turned to look at Diana was surprised by Bruce’s voice and Cassandra got a hit before the other woman was back at her game.

The three girls started to attack simultaneously with Bruce calling a few shots from time to time, until Diana appeared to started getting tired and tripped Stephanie, imobillized Barbara and used the lasso on Cassandra.

“Holy hell, that was amazing!” Jason exclaimed as Dick started to laugh and applause as Diana helped the girls up.

“So what do you say, princess?” Bruce growled as he make the way to then.

“They are impressive warriors for ones so young. And theirs fighting styles are different from one another, so it made everything more fun”

“You’re amazing” Stephanie gushed as Barbara nodded and Cassandra looked at the other woman awed. Diana laughed and thanked them.

“You could practice on your training session tomorrow morning. It would be a good opportunity for us in the league to fight with different people with different styles. What do you think Bruce?”

Bruce finished removing his body armor in silence.

“C’mon, B. Just training. It’s a good opportunity”

“Alright” Bruce growled as he ignored the cheering that went behind his back. He knew it was a good idea not only because his kids make really good opponents, but because it was a chance for everybody to interact. But still, it made him uncomfortable to include his kids in this, since the whole fight they had started because Bruce didn’t want them to fight with him anymore.

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They were in Bruce’s room as they started to get ready to sleep.

“I was really impressed and surprised with the girls” Diana reinforced “I thought since they used to patrol with you, all of them would have the same fighting style that you do”

“I thought the same” Clark admitted “But Cassandra appeared a whole lot letal and professional than the other two, Stephanie’s style reminds me a lot of street fighting and Barbara’s appear more tactical?”

Bruce finished brushing his teeth before answering.

“They fought with me for a time, but all of them came to me having already learned how to fight. Cassandra was trained from a young age to be a assassin, Stephanie’s learned on the street and most of things Barbara knows are from a few martial arts her uncle made her learn. They learn a few things from me, but theirs fighting style are inspired on most theirs experiences from before”

Diana nodded and let herself lay on the bed “Did it bother you that I invited them to train with us tomorrow?”

“No. I think it’ll be good for them and for us, especially Barry and Cyborg” Bruce growled softly before sitting on the edge of bed and look at her and Clark who sat at his side “It’s just strange because my fight with them was because I didn’t want them to fight by my side anymore, so.”

Clark opened his mouth say something when a knock on the door interrupted him. He closed his mouth, before opening it again “It’s open. You can came in”

The door opened to reveal Dick who appeared sheepish to find all of them together.

“Is everything alright?” Bruce asked quickly.

“Yes, I just wanted to talk to you” Dick said shyly as Bruce raised his eyebrow “Hum...alone? It’s kind of personal”

Bruce looked at him for a few seconds before getting up and going to the door.

“Sure”

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 Bruce let Dick guide them up to the roof and follow suit as he sat down on it. Bruce let his though wander as he waited for Dick to start speaking. He remembered a time long ago when Dick had came to live with him.

In the few months after his parents death, when Bruce was still trying to find a way to help Dick or at least trying to forge a connection with him, he would find his award here, in night’s when he suspect he couldn’t sleep without getting nightmares. After some time, they began to do it just to spend some quiet time together, even when the nightmares became further and further apart.

They stopped doing this, or at least, Bruce admitted to himself, he stopped showing up after Jason’s death.

“Why?” Bruce looked confused for a second imaging if he hasn’t heard when Dick started speaking.

“Why what?”

“Why did you want to stop?”

Bruce looked back towards the sky as he thought on how to best explain it, but before he could think of something, Dick barreled on.

“‘Cause I thought it was because you missed working alone. And when everyone else was hurt when you said that there wouldn’t be a Robin or any sidekicks with you anymore, when you forbid us - “ Dick interruped himself almost mid scream and took a deep breath before continuing in a lower tone - “when you forbid each and every one of us to work with you, I tried to defend you. I tried to understand you. Jason thinks it’s ‘cause you regret adopting us, Tim thinks he messed up somewhere for you to make this decision, Barbara doesn’t understand, Stephanie alternates between missing you and hating you, Damian thinks it’s Tim’s fault, and Cas is just sad”

“And what do you think?” Bruce growled as he felt his chest ache. He never wanted any of them to fault themselves or for them to think they were less than adequate. He loved his children, but it seems he couldn’t do anything without causing them pain.

“I don’t know” Dick said softly and sadly “I used to think you wanted to go back to work alone… but-but we came back and here you are” and Bruce hated that weary and pained laugh that escaped Dick “working with a freaking team! You’re even dating! I don’t even want to think when or even if you planned you telling us this. I mean, as far as I know, we only know because we came here for help.”

“I would have told you”  Because he would have. He wanted Clark and Diana to meet all of them, and wanted all of them to meet Clark and Diana.

“Would you? After all of us left home, you didn’t talk to us. You didn’t call for help in any rebellion on Arkham Asylum, you didn’t call for help in that whole mess with Steppenwolf… We only knew you were alive because Alfred called us. So I really don’t know what to think anymore, Bruce”

“I called. I told you that I had rebuilt the mansion and that your room was still here”

“You sent a message! After I don’t know how many months without talking to us!” Dick exclaimed.

“I didn’t know if any of you would have answered if I had called” and Bruce was a coward, he could admit it to himself. He didn’t want to call and risk them not answering or just hanging up.

“Of course we would’ve!”

“Would you? All of you left” To see them with theirs bags leaving the mansion and to not say anything, to not beg them to stay or order them to, was one of them most difficult things he remember doing.

“We left ‘cause you didn’t want us here anymore!”

“Just because I didn’t want you to fight or patrol with me, doesn’t mean you weren’t welcome here anymore”

“Then why, Bruce?”

“I was tired, Dick” Bruce confessed lowly “I was so damn tired of seeing any of you hurt. I was tired of find you with broken bones, stabbed, shot at, or hurt in any way. I couldn’t handle if what happened to Jason, happened again. I just - I wasn’t strong enough to do this over and over again”

But Dick was already shaking his head.

“It doesn’t make sense! You must know we are still doing patrol and fighting even if it’s not here”

“I know” Bruce conceded and glanced at him quickly “But it’s different. I kept an eye on all of you. You are fighting against petty criminals. It has a certain risk, it’s true, but it’s not the same thing as fighting the Joker, or Halerquin, or Poison Eve, or any of the others. Gotham… Gotham has another type of criminals, that are a lot more dangerous than the common ones. You know this. When I made that decision… Truth is, I spent a lot of time thinking if it was the right thing to do. First, because I knew that you would find another way to keep fighting; Second, because I became somewhat used to have you out there with me, I learned to enjoy it.” Bruce glanced to Dick to see he looking at him and gave him a small sad smile “But your safety would always come first. That week you weren’t even here. I was chasing a perp and Tim and Barbara were with me. He took a shot at Barbara and when I looked, I just saw she falling to the ground. A second later I saw she was just diving out of the way, but… but I knew that I had to put a end to this. It would have ended me if I had to carried the body of a seconds person I considered family home. Can you understand this?”

He saw Dick looking at him and thinking before answering.

“But why not tell us this?”

“Because I knew that it wouldn’t be enough. I could even imagine Damian taking more risks to prove that he doesn’t need to be protected and Tim to prove to me that he’s worth of being Robin. And I wouldn’t risk it.”

“But you hurt us”

“I know” and he didn’t say sorry, because sorry implied that he wouldn’t do the same thing again and that was a lie.

“You have to talk to them, B. They… They’re hurting, you know?” Dick said sofly “and I know some of them starting question if we are really your family”

Bruce hummed and nodded his agreement and was surprised when Dick rewarded him by coming close and putting his head on his shoulders. By muscle memory, Bruce lifted his arm and gave him an one arm hug.

“I never stopped considering you guys my family” Bruce said with a kiss to Dick’s hair. “I never stopped loving any of you”

“Love you too” Dick said smilling. They spent a few more minutes like that before Dick snorted with laughter.

“What?”

“I think I really approve of your relationship with those two” Bruce inclined his head to look at Dick’s face and see his smile “You’re a lot more mellow than I remembered.”

Bruce let out a small laugh before smiling to himself. “Clark and Diana would be happy to hear this”

 


End file.
